? on jehovah witnesses......and blood

[scared'o'needles!]

Hi, I have just joined the forum, I have been qualified 2 years now.

I was wondering if anyone can help me with some insight with the following.

I was working a nightshift with another SN that is a jehovah witness, there was a patient who had been admitted earlier that day with a low HB and needed 3 x RCC transfusion asap. The nurse whom I was working with told me that because of her beliefs she would not check or have anything to do with this duty:o. I had to arrange for the hospital co-ordinator at night to come down to the ward to assist me in setting up and checking the RCC. This caused a delay in the pt treatment as I had to wait till the co-ordinater was free to assist:-{

My question is was she right to put her beliefs and values before patient care. I know that there is issues in connection to JW not wishing transfusions for themselves etc., but surely as a nurse practitionare she should be putting the pt needs first?

I wanted to challenge this but being newly qualified at the time I was a bit unsure of my knowledge in this:uhoh3:. The nurse co-ordinater was also reluctant to do this due to political correctness, I have since researched this and have found nothing that forbids them performing this duty for others. Maybe I am looking in the wrong places for this information.

Thanks in advance for any insight anyone can give:up:

[NurseLoveJoy88, ASN, RN]

I'm studying about ethics and etc now as a nursing student, and she does have the right to refuse if and only if she notified the persons who hired her BEFORE she started to work at the facility. For an example: Nurses who are against abortions should let the hiring manager know before she starts work. However, if she does not let them know before being hired she has a legal obligation to perform her duties as a nurse. If the jevohah witness did notify the hiring manager before she was hired then yes she had the right to refuse, if not she did a breech in her duty and should be written up.

[nrsang97, BSN, RN]

I work with a JW nurse and she will hang and monitor the blood. She has never asked a co worker to spike the bag or hang it for her.

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

Blondie - I cannot remember what her hb was (it was a long time ago) what I can tell you is it is our docs that monitor the blood values and decide on the action to take regarding this, also they would not transfuse a pt unless there hb was

Wow, they don't transfuse unless a hgb is under 6? That seems really risky, particularly in someone still losing blood.

[MS._Jen_RN, ASN, RN]

That's like a Jewish healthcare worker refusing to help the patient eat a porkchop. Just my

Jen

[hypocaffeinemia, BSN, RN]

That's like a Jewish healthcare worker refusing to help the patient eat a porkchop. Just my

Jen

That's not a very good analogy. Porkchops aren't medical standards of care.

A better analogy would be a Jewish nurse refusing to administer porcine-derived insulin or heparin to a patient in need.

[Mexarican]

By the way, most Witnesses do not practice this. I know many JW nurses who understand the distinction between their beliefs, others' beliefs and their job. Your co-worker is just taking it to the extreme. In fact, JWs encourage their members to respect others' beliefs, your co-worker is going against her own religion.

I myself am not a JW but my family is. Please do not speak in absolute terms regarding things you are not fully aware of. Saying this person is NOT following her own religion is not true. As i understand it from my family, as far as hanging and watching the blood as well as performing all of the "patient care" regarding the blood each individual is left to "their Conscience" regarding those issues. Some JWs do not have a problem with this as they are not the ones who 'ordered' the blood for the patient and they are not accepting it for themselves...but others may have an objection to this therefore it is up to each individual to make a determination for themselves on that matter. Whatever the case it is up to the JW nurse to clearly inform her charge nurse way before this issue even comes up that this is the case. It also helps to not work in a setting where this is going to be a problem if they infact object to the patient care side of blood transfusions.

Mex

[Annieh1315]

I am thankful to live in a place where we do have the right to refuse. With that being said, prior arrangements must be made.

I think of the example of female circumcision done in some cultures. I understand that in those cultures, the procedure is considered a way to keep the girl pure and "godly." It is not meant to be harmful or cruel. Switch places. What if our mainstream culture was the one that believed in this and you, the nurse, did not. (Personally I object extremely to this procedure.) Wouldn't you be thankful that you had the right to refuse to perform the procedure or assist with it? I realize this is an extreme example, but I am glad that I live in a place that gives me the freedom to choose what my beliefs are and gives me the choice to perform or not. As long as other arrangements are made in advance so as not to affect patient care.

I may not agree with the beliefs of others, but I will defend thier right to have those choices.

[rn/writer, RN]

Staff request: Although female circumcision was used as an example, it is not the subject of this thread. Please, stay on the original topic--Jehovah's Witness nurses and the administration of blood products.

Thanks.

[Annieh1315]

Staff request: Although female circumcision was used as an example, it is not the subject of this thread. Please, stay on the original topic--Jehovah's Witness nurses and the administration of blood products.

Thanks.

Thank you for your feedback. It was not my intention to go off topic. My point was that there seemed to be a tone of non-understanding and non-compassion of the JW belief. I thought if I used an example that would most likely fit most of the posters, the point of respect for others' beliefs would be more clear. I did not mean to begin a conversation on the ethics of a different procedure.

Staff note: No criticism intended. The comparison was fine. You didn't derail the thread, but any further posting on the subject would.

[ToxicShock]

My question is was she right to put her beliefs and values before patient care. I know that there is issues in connection to JW not wishing transfusions for themselves etc., but surely as a nurse practitionare she should be putting the pt needs first?

I wanted to challenge this but being newly qualified at the time I was a bit unsure of my knowledge in this:uhoh3:. The nurse co-ordinater was also reluctant to do this due to political correctness, I have since researched this and have found nothing that forbids them performing this duty for others. Maybe I am looking in the wrong places for this information.

Thanks in advance for any insight anyone can give:up:

Yes, she should put patient care first. It's one thing to refuse this or that for oneself, but not for others. To me, it is akin to pushing ones beliefs on another. This nurse is going to compromise her patient because of a belief that has nothing to do with said patient is wrong. I respect everyone's right to believe in whatever they want. What I don't respect is compromising or harming another person because of those beliefs. I'm sorry, but I just can't get behind that.

Health care professionals should be aware that their personal beliefs may be challenged every day, and that for certain cases, they will have to set them aside. As a vegan, I do not believe in animal testing or using animal parts in humans. However, I would be willing to set those beliefs aside for the sake of the patient. My vegan beliefs are very important to me, but so are my future patients. If I had a choice to push my personal beliefs aside for the sake of providing excellent care, and/or saving someone's life, I would set my beliefs aside. There are other things that I do in my daily life that makes up for the occasional slip.

[NurseNatasha]

Hello... You are a nurse your job is to care and provide medical attention all patients, clients and etc.. Im all for god and religion and that sort but my religion does not come before my ability to perform my job. If the patient had died because of her religious beliefs, It would not come back on just her but you as well, I might try having a discussion with her about her career and her religion and find out why she choose to be a nurse if she cant or wont fulfill the duties and requirements.

[rn/writer, RN]

Hello... You are a nurse your job is to care and provide medical attention all patients, clients and etc.. Im all for god and religion and that sort but my religion does not come before my ability to perform my job. If the patient had died because of her religious beliefs, It would not come back on just her but you as well, I might try having a discussion with her about her career and her religion and find out why she choose to be a nurse if she cant or wont fulfill the duties and requirements.

I would think it would be asking for trouble for a JW nurse to seek employment at a blood bank, but to say that because there is this one prohibition that she should not be a nurse at all seems extreme. As some have noted, many nurses with this belief will do everything but spike the bag and start the blood flowing. That's hardly an unreasonable accommodation to make if everything else works.

What about folks who require physical adaptations for the job? There are nurses who need specific break times for medication or who can't administer chemo or take care of certain types of patients due to health concerns. I suppose the answer there is, "They have no choice." For some nurses with strong convictions that conflict with their duties, they also feel that they have no choice.

The measures that will keep this kind of restriction from becoming an undue hardship to others are disclosure ahead of time and having a alternate plan that takes care of everyone.

That doesn't seem too much to ask.